


Deal

by Okadiah



Series: The Mrs. Chen Chronicles [3]
Category: Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: About lobsters, And deals, Chen and Vee are bros, Just a fun little story, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-22 20:40:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16605065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okadiah/pseuds/Okadiah
Summary: Venom has a unique request for Mrs. Chen.





	Deal

**Author's Note:**

> A charming little story for a prompt request I received on Tumblr. Enjoy!

Mrs. Chen stared at the black tentacle with Venom's face on it where it hid behind the ledge of her counter, out of Eddie's sight. Eddie’s back was turned as he tried to decide if he wanted the turkey or the roast beef sandwich – although she'd personally avoid them both – and Venom was clearly trying to keep this under wraps.

Even if his request boggled her mind.

"You want ... what?"

**"Lobster. Fresh, live lobster,"** Eddie's alien murmured seriously. **"Could you get some for me?"**

Her lips pursed and she crossed her arms. "I run a convenience store, Venom. Not a shellfish market. If you want lobster, go to Fisherman's Wharf. Make Eddie take you."

**"I've tried, Mrs. Chen, but Eddie has, uh ... bad memories associated with them. He won't even stop in front of a tank that has them, and I can't _make_ him when it comes to this. You need to help me, Mrs. Chen. Hook me up."**

"Do you know how much live lobster costs?" she asked.

**"I'll pay for it."**

Mrs. Chen arched a brow. "With what money? I doubt Eddie's going to let you use his."

Venom fell silent, his small white eyes furrowed and downward as he thought. Eddie was reaching for his sandwich – the roast beef she saw, and she had to stop her face from pinching – leaving Venom with only moments to convince her.

**"Is there something you need done?"** Venom finally asked. **"Someone you need ... eaten?"**

"You'd eat someone for a lobster?"

**"I really enjoyed the lobster, Mrs. Chen."**

Mrs. Chen gave a short hum of consideration. Although she could think of a few people whose lives she wouldn't care trading in exchange for a lobster, there _was_ actually something else she was having problems with. Something she though Venom would be especially suited to handle.

"There's no one I'd like you to eat. Not right now."

Venom's strange black tentacle visibly wilted, defeated.

"But there _is_ something you can do for me. And if you do it, I'll get you your live lobster."

Venom perked up immediately.

**"What is it?"**

"There are rats in the walls, and no matter how many traps I lay or how many times I call pest control, nothing seems to work. You being, well, whatever you are," she said with a gesture to his flexible, goo-like appearance. "I imagine finding them and removing them would be quite easy for you. You take care of the rats, and I'll get you a lobster."

**"That's all you want?"** Venom asked. **"Extermination?"**

"Of the rats, yes. They're bad for business, and I'm tired of sweeping up their shit."

Venom's mouth spread into a wide grin, showing every tiny tooth.

**"I can do that."**

"Then we have a deal," Mrs. Chen said, a small smile of her own spreading to match Venom's.

"Deal?" Eddie said, approaching the counter before he saw Venom and scowled. "What are you doing?"

**"Nothing that concerns you, Eddie,"** Venom replied. **"Mrs. Chen, do you mind if he waits behind the counter while I take care of this? It'll be easier if he's stationary and close to the wall."**

"Of course, Venom."

Eddie blanched. "Wait, what are you—?"

His words cut off as his body abruptly shifted, thudding around like he was being dragged behind the counter by an unseen force.

"Venom!"

**"Wait here, this shouldn't take long."**

Venom extended several thin tendrils against the wall and into a small crack at the base. Eddie scowled at it, then stared at her accusingly.

"Really, Mrs. Chen?"

"He and I made a deal, Eddie," Mrs. Chen said with a shrug. Her eyes fell on the roast beef sandwich. "You like roast beef?"

"Sometimes. It looked good, and I haven’t had it in a while."

She tried not to let her personal disgust slip through as she rung him up and watched him eat it. After all, Eddie must have an incredible constitution with Venom in his body. She'd watched firsthand as they'd eaten things much worse than that.

They made idle small-talk while Venom worked – all the while ignoring the small thumps in the walls they sometimes heard at irregular intervals – but sooner than Mrs. Chen had expected, the alien withdrew and manifested a familiar face. Venom smiled.

**"I took care of the ones I could find and put them in a bucket in your cleaning closet. There were a lot of them, but it wouldn't surprise me if more came. They might become a problem again in the future."**

"Well, depending on if you did a good job, we might come to an arrangement if that’s the case," Mrs. Chen said. "But until then, thank you for the work, Venom. Come by tomorrow. I'll have it for you."

"Have what for him?" Eddie asked.

**"Don't worry about it,** " Venom said. **"Now come on. It's still early. Let's go."**

Eddie sighed and shook his head. "I knew it was a mistake to introduce you two."

Mrs. Chen and Venom smirked.

**Author's Note:**

> You can follow me for more of my Venom content on [my tumblr](https://symbrock-darling.tumblr.com/). I'm taking prompt requests there too, so if you have one, feel free to send an ask!


End file.
